BIONet to Revive
Occidental Mindoro's
Edge in Trade and Marketing
 LONG
before Magellan’s Philippine expedition, Occidental Mindoro had been
known to the ancients as Ma-i, and was formally called Mait. Its
existence was written in the Chinese chronicles in 1225 (775 A.D.). The
province was well-known to the Chinese traders as a major anchorage in
the Southeast Asia trade route before the pre-Philippines period when
Chinese, Arab, and merchants traded with the natives. The island was
then called “Mina de Oro” (mine of gold) after the Spaniards found some
precious metals in 1570, although no major discoveries of gold ever
occurred.
The present
Occidental Mindoro has an agricultural-based economy, devoted to the
production of food, and the adaption of the Oryza Sativa (rice)
culture. The production of staple crops is the leading source of
seasonal employment in the province, participated by almost 80% of the
population, including children.
The production of
staple crops comes seasonal. Rice is heavily dependent on water,
therefore it is planted in July and harvested in October, while crops
that are not water-intensive crops like tobacco, onions, garlic, and
vegetables are grown during the dry season (November-May), since they
also need longer sun exposure.
Rice, corn,
onions, garlic, salt and fishes (both wild and water cultured) are some
of the relatively significant surpluses produced in the province. Crops
such as mangoes, cashew nuts, cooking bananas (saba), and some other
fruits grown in upland orchards are also some of the province’s exports
that have greatly contributed to its income. Peanuts, as well as
cassava, sweet potatoes, and ginger are also comfortably grown in some
parts of the province.
 The
establishment of the Biotechnology Information Network (BIONet)-BioCommerce
Center in San Jose Mindoro on the 31st of July, opens a new window of
opportunity for the local farmers. Not only that it offers information
on technological advances in agriculture in terms of Biotechnology, it
also provides linkages between the farmers and their potential market.
It was in June of
the same year when the Department of Agriculture Biotechnology Program
Office (DA-BPO) and the Biotechnology Media Advocacy and Resource Center
(BMARC), along with the experts in the production of corn and malunggay
conducted a seminar-workshop on Biotechnology business opportunities
that the locals realized the great economic impact that biotechnology
may bring..
The BIONet-BioCommerce
Center aims to educate the local farmers on the best practices of
Biotechnology that is well-suited for the province’s crops to help the
province gain its respect in the world of trade and marketing.
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